Advertisement

ITV Report

27 February 2014 at 2:55pm

Met Office confirms it's the UK's wettest winter on record

Rain over Hundon in West Suffolk earlier this week. Photo: Credit: Rosemarie Jessop.

Provisional rainfall figures released by the Met Office this morning confirm that it has been the wettest winter on record for the UK since the national series records began in 1910. For England and Wales, it's also been the wettest winter since the England and Wales rainfall series began in 1766.

Across England and Wales, between 1st December 2013 and 25th February 2014, 435 mm of rain was recorded, beating the previous record set in 1915. Rainfall anomaly maps issued by the Met Office show that it's been southeast and central southern England that have seen the wettest weather whilst some parts of northern Scotland have seen average or below average rain.

Tricky driving conditions on the Finchingfield village green in Essex earlier this month. Credit: Nettie Firman.

There's also been a contrast throughout the Anglia region with Hertfordshire, Essex and Bedfordshire soaking up the most rain this winter - around twice the average in some places - whilst east Norfolk has escaped the worst. However, unlike the UK, the Anglia region has not seen its wettest winter on record.

The Great Yeldham broke its banks at the beginning of February following the rain virtually every day in January. Credit: Michelle Garner.

On average, between 1st December 2013 and 25th February 2014, the Anglia region has seen 219 mm of rain, which is 148% of its normal winter allowance. With just a few days left until the end of the season, this would place winter 2013/2014 as the 6th wettest winter on record and the wettest since 1994/1995.

Yet another rainy January day in Pegsdon on the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire border. Credit: Alisan Sweet.

Although not as much rain has collected in the Anglia region compared with other parts of the UK, we have seen just as many rainy days. In fact, this winter we've seen the most number of wet days for any season on record (records for days of rain go back to 1963). Also, with rain falling virtually everyday, January 2014 was the single rainiest month on record in East Anglia.

A field of snowdrops earlier this month in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, following the mild winter. Credit: Janet Creamer.

The consistently wet weather has also brought consistently mild weather to the Anglia region. This winter is expected to be the third mildest on record with average temperatures almost 2°C above normal. Except for one or two brief sleet showers in January, snow has been non-existent and we've not seen snow settle on the ground at any point - another remarkable fact from one of the most remarkable winters seen since records began.